Vegetable-based protein-rich products offer many benefits and advantages to consumers. Protein-rich plant food offers a sustainable way of fulfilling the daily protein requirements. In addition to the proteins, plants are high in bioactive compounds such as complex carbohydrates, which are widely recognized as being healthful. The majority of the Western consumers would like to prefer a plant-based diet due to its healthiness and ecological concern. However, many consumers find it difficult to keep their daily protein intake sufficient due to the narrow and inconvenient offering of proteinous plant products.
Protein bar snack products are a convenient choice, but are limited to syrup-based taste profiles and have sandy structure. The main-course plant protein foods in the markets are often sold as dry, requiring time and certain knowledge to process them to an edible meal. From the viewpoint of ingredients commercially available as ready-to-eat products, vegetarian minded consumers have also only few choices. Most of the ready-to-eat products containing plant protein are based on soya or wheat gluten, which some consumers like to avoid due to allergy, ecological or ethical reasons or GMO related concerns.
One of the challenges with soya products widely utilized as a plant based main course is the beany taste of the products that makes some consumers to search for alternatives.